Share Notes 10-6-16

Share Notes 10-6-16

CSA Share Notes:

WELCOME TO THE FALL CSA SEASON! We have some great treats for you this week with lots more crops being planted for you through out the next few months.

These share notes are to help you navigate your CSA box each week.  We will offer you info about the varieties of crops you’re receiving, photos for identification, as well as tips on preparing your loot and storing it properly to maintain freshness and quality.  Check back here every week for new info.

Now on to your vegetable line up:

  • Eggplant—Our Japanese eggplant variety is a great one, especially if you’re not totally sure you like eggplant. It’s very low bitterness, and there’s no need to skin it except for any brown sunspots you see. Check out a few great eggplant recipes in our kitchen blog or try roasting them to make baba ghanoush, a fantastic Mediterranean dip similar to hummus.
  • Bell peppers—Each share received a big handful of green (and a few purple, orange, yellow, and red!) bell peppers. So much beautiful color comes out of the garden in late summer.
  • Carton of hot peppers— I’m hoping some of you will get creative with types of pepper sauce, candied hot peppers, or stuffed peppers, roasted or smoked peppers, etc. I would LOVE to see what you do with these! Share your ideas and results over on our social media pages. Each share received Jalapenos, Serranos, Habaneros, Cayenne, and Pasilla Bajillo.  This photo may help:
hot-peppers

Left to Right: Habanero, Pasilla Bajillo, Serranos, Cayenne, Jalapenos

  • Onions—Sweet red storage onions from our summer harvest. These have great flavor and low moisture. They’re petite, but wonderful.
  • Sungold tomatoes—Each share received a pint of our most prized crop: sungold cherry tomatoes! These are like vegetable candy.
  • Squash—For the first time we took a risk and tried growing summer squash and zucchini in the fall. With such a cool and damp August, it actually worked! We are thrilled with them. There are a few varieties here you might have received. Some are smooth and straight necked, others are bumpy and crook necked, and some have color variations of green and yellow. All are fantastic. Squash spoil quickly and bruise easily on their journey to you, so use them up fast.
  • Zucchini—Also a rarity in the fall. Enjoy your zucchini this week!
  • Poblano peppers—Each share received a handful of lovely, deep green poblanos. These peppers are excellent roasted or sauteed with scrambled eggs- Migas style, or get really messy in the kitchen and make Chile Rellenos!
  • Cucumbers—These crisp delights are also a first for us in the fall. We’ve never been able to grow fall cucumbers, but this summer was so unique, conditions made it possible! Enjoy, and give our Fridge Pickles recipe a try.

Veggie Storage tips:

Some of your crops can be damaged by refrigerator temperatures, and some crops prefer it, so be sure to check out our veggie storage tips each week for proper storage of your loot.  As a general rule, wait to wash any veggies until you’re ready to use them to help retain nutrients and prevent spoilage from excess moisture.

The onions can be kept at room temperature. The eggplant, bell peppers, squash/zucchini and hot peppers will all like to be kept cool. They can stay out at room temp, but will only last a couple of days. In the fridge, you’ll have about a week.  The cherry tomatoes will be damaged and begin to get mealy if stored below 50 degrees, so the refrigerator is not the place for them. 70 degrees is optimal for tomatoes, and they’re happy sitting at up to 80 degrees, so out on your counter or in some other cool place is perfect for them.

 

Thank you so much for being a part of our Spring CSA at Red Moon Farm, and for all your support of local, organic agriculture!

Your farmers,

Jess & Justin

 

Large Share

Large-fall-csa-share

Large Share (L to R): Poblano peppers, mixed bell peppers, hot peppers in order: serrano, pasilla bajillo, habanero, cayenne, and red and green jalapenos. In the center: Sungold tomatoes, cucumbers, and red onions, on the right:yellow squash, and zucchini. Japanese eggplant across the bottom.

Small Share

small-fall-csa-share

Small share (L to R): Sungold tomatoes, hot peppers in order: pasilla bajillo, red and green jalapenos, cayenne, serrano, and habanero. Red onion, Japanese eggplant. Across the bottom: zucchini, yellow squash, cucumbers, poblano peppers, mixed bell peppers

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